For Whom the Bell Tolls

In 1937, Ernest Hemingway traveled to Spain to cover the civil war there for the North American Newspaper Alliance. Three years later he completed the greatest novel to emerge from "the good fight", For Whom the Bell Tolls.

Where does For Whom the Bell Tolls rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

One of the better books

What did you like best about this story?

Great writing, fascinating characters and a wonderful story

What about Campbell Scott’s performance did you like?

Very much likes Scott's narration. Understated with exactly the right tone for the story.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

The story made me contemplative, rather than laugh or cry.

Any additional comments?

It seems an abomination that the language has been sanitised. I assume that was done to meet a certain rating, but it seems like a poor decision to say the least. It's 2012, and we're still butchering books?If you can get past that, a thoroughly recommended listen and one I will surely listen to again.

The Great Railway Bazaar

The Great Railway Bazaar is Paul Theroux's account of his epic journey by rail through Asia. Filled with evocative names of legendary train routes - the Direct-Orient Express, the Khyber Pass Local, the Delhi Mail from Jaipur, the Golden Arrow to Kuala Lumpur, the Hikari Super Express to Kyoto, and the Trans-Siberian Express - it describes the many places, cultures, sights and sounds he experienced and the fascinating people he met.

A great travel adventure, written at a time when crossing the globe was a much more challenging experience. Will resonate with anyone who's embarked on a voyage across cultures.

What did you like best about this story?

It reminded me of what I love about freeform travel

What about Frank Muller’s performance did you like?

The narrator was excellent - when the accents seem natural and quietly add to the appreciation of the story, rather than being something that you notice outright, then the narrator has done their job well.

Nine Lives: In Search of the Sacred in Modern India

A Buddhist monk takes up arms to resist the Chinese invasion of Tibet - then spends the rest of his life trying to atone for the violence by hand printing the best prayer flags in India. A Jain nun tests her powers of detachment as she watches her best friend ritually starve herself to death. Nine people, nine lives; each one taking a different religious path, each one an unforgettable story. William Dalrymple delves deep into the heart of a nation torn between the relentless onslaught of modernity and the ancient traditions that endure to this day.

Where does Nine Lives rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Ranks in the middle

Would you be willing to try another book from William Dalrymple? Why or why not?

Yes, interesting writing style and great insights into India, though can get a little bogged down.

What didn’t you like about Daniel Philpott’s performance?

Several recording errors were left in the recording, which was pretty annoying.I found the narrators Indian accents a little distracting at times, especially as at times they were a little over the top. Some of the quoted dialogue came across as a little unnatural, which I would attribute to the narrator 'over performing' the lines.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No, not a 'page turner' as such.

Any additional comments?

A book to be in the right mood for, but some really interesting material. Unfortunately, the narration probably detracted more than it added.

Star Wars (Dramatized)

This landmark production, perhaps the most ambitious radio project ever attempted, began when Star Wars creator George Lucas donated the story rights to an NPR affiliate. Writer Brian Daley adapted the film's highly visual script to the special demands and unique possibilities of radio, creating a more richly textured tale with greater emphasis on character development.

This audiobook is great to listen to for any Star Wars fan.
But if you listen to books while exercising or while in the car, the credits/outro music after EVERY chapter will infuriate you. Plus they play the theme music at the intro to every chapter as well. Haven't timed it but it must be over 1 minute in total.

Obviously this was originally a radio serial have no idea why all the unnecessary stuff wasn't cut out when transferring to a downloadable audiobook.

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